tello_ros2_humble_driver

The main tello ros driver is located in the tello_ros package. You can find the README file in the tello_ros package. Notice that the readme file in the tello_ros package is not up to date, it indicates that it's using ROS2 Eloquent, but we are using ROS2 Humble. But still, you should use the readme file to understand the core concepts of this tello ros driver, like the topics, services, message, etc.

For the installation of this driver on ros2 humble, you should follow the instructions below.

Installation

Install ROS 2 Humble

Follow the instructions at: https://docs.ros.org/en/humble/Installation.html
Use the ros-humble-desktop option for full desktop tools.

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Install dependencies

first install gazebo for ros humble

source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash 
sudo apt-get install ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-ros-gz

after that

sudo apt update
sudo apt install \
libasio-dev \
ros-humble-cv-bridge \
ros-humble-camera-calibration-parsers \
ros-humble-gazebo-dev \
ros-humble-gazebo-ros* \
libignition-rendering6 

Build this package

mkdir -p ~/ros2_ws/src
cd ~/ros2_ws/src
git clone https://github.com/TIERS/tello_ros2_humble_driver.git
cd tello_ros2_humble_driver/
pip install -r requirements.txt
cd ~/ros2_ws
source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash
colcon build

Just run the driver to control the real drone

cd ~/ros2_ws
source install/setup.bash
ros2 launch tello_driver teleop_launch.py

This is sufficient to just control the real drone. No matter you want to teleoprate with gamepad or keyboard, or you want to use the python codes to control the drone.

Run a simulation

cd ~/ros2_ws
source install/setup.bash
export GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH=${PWD}/install/tello_gazebo/share/tello_gazebo/models
source /usr/share/gazebo/setup.sh
ros2 launch tello_gazebo simple_launch.py

You will see a single drone in a blank world. You can control the drone using the joystick.

Control the drone

Notice！For real tello and simulation, the name of the topic and service might be different, you better manually check by ros2 topic or service list. In simulation, it has some prefix like:/drone1.

example:

ros2 service call tello_action tello_msgs/TelloAction "{cmd: 'takeoff'}"
ros2 service call tello_action tello_msgs/TelloAction "{cmd: 'land'}"
ros2 run teleop_twist_keyboard teleop_twist_keyboard

or

ros2 service call drone1/tello_action tello_msgs/TelloAction "{cmd: 'takeoff'}"
ros2 service call drone1/tello_action tello_msgs/TelloAction "{cmd: 'land'}"
ros2 run teleop_twist_keyboard teleop_twist_keyboard --ros-args -r __ns:=/drone1

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If you run into the No namespace found error re-set GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH:

export GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH=${PWD}/install/tello_gazebo/share/tello_gazebo/models
source /usr/share/gazebo/setup.sh

Tello simulation in Gazebo

you can go to /tello_ros/tello_gazebo to check more details. tello_gazebo consists of several components:

• TelloPlugin simulates a drone, handling takeoff, landing, and basic flight dynamics
• markers contains Gazebo models for fiducial markers
• fiducial.world is a simple world with multiple fiducial markers
• inject_entity.py is a script to spawn a model (URDF or SDF) in a running Gazebo instance
• the built-in camera plugin is used to emulate the Gazebo forward-facing camera

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Instructions for using Docker

There is also an image prepared for this repo to streamline the process. This image also includes the Tentone Tello-ROS2 repository for working with a real Tello.

The Image

To build the image, go to the root of the repo run the Docker file using the following command:

docker build -t drone_racing_ros2:humble .

Before running Docker, make sure to tell your X11 server to allow local connections from root (the user inside the container).

xhost +local:root

afterwards

docker run -it --rm \
--net=host \
--env="DISPLAY=$DISPLAY" \
--env="QT_X11_NO_MITSHM=1" \
--volume="/tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix:rw" \
drone_racing_ros2:humble

Running the docker in WSL

By default, you are running WSL on Windows, be aware that WSL2 does not have direct GUI access, and Docker containers run in a separate network + user space, which blocks them from rendering GUI windows. Fixing this involves:

1. Making sure a GUI server is running on Windows
2. Granting access to WSL and Docker to use that display
3. Avoiding access control issues (xhost, DISPLAY)

Firewall check

Before starting, make sure Tello can communicate with you through windows -> WSL -> container:

1. Go to Windows Defender Firewall > Advanced Settings > Inbound Rules
2. Create a rule for: UDP Port 11111 Allow connection
3. Ensure your active network profile (likely Private) has that rule applied.
4. do the same for ports 8889 and 8890.

Launch VcXsrv

1. Open XLaunch
2. Select:
   • ✅ Multiple windows
   • ✅ Display number: 0
   • ✅ Start no client
   • ❌ Disable native OpenGL
   • ✅ Disable access control
3. Allow through Windows Firewall (Private + Public)

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WSL2 Configuration

First, you have to set wsl networking configuration to mirrored. To do that:

1. Go to C:\Users{YOUR_USER_NAME}

2. Create or edit .wslconfig and add

    [wsl2]
    networkingMode=mirrored
   

3. Save and exit.

afterwards, go inside the WSL and

export DISPLAY=127.0.0.1:0
xhost +

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Test X11

sudo apt install -y x11-apps
xeyes

If xeyes GUI opens, you're ready.

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Run Docker Container

docker run -it --rm \
  --net=host \
  --env="DISPLAY=$DISPLAY" \
  --env="QT_X11_NO_MITSHM=1" \
  --volume="/tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix:rw" \
  danms98/drone_racing_ros2:humble

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🎮 Launch the Simulation

Inside the container:

ros2 launch tello_gazebo simple_launch.py